From the Ashes
by SpontaneousFangirl
Summary: After a devastating accident, a trainer finds her previous team of Pokemon confined in their Pokeballs and her trainer license rescinded. A year later, broken but not yet defeated, the same trainer sets out on a new journey to prove to the world that she's a Pokemon trainer in her own right.
1. Chapter I — Burnt Bridges

_Author's Note: Hey! Spontaneous here, dropping a friendly author's note to welcome you to this Pokemon fic. Amassing all my ideas and working out logistics has been a process for this story, but here's what happened when I finally sat down and wrote the thing._ _Criticism/encouragement/feedback are all welcome, so feel free to drop a thought if you have one!_

 _And, without further ado, here's the first chapter:  
_

* * *

"Why did you even come back? Can't you see that no one wants you here?"

Adrielle blinked, trying to focus on her sister. "Harper, I—"

"Go away! Can't you see that we're having a hard time because of you? There are always people waiting in front of the house, shouting and shoving at Mom and Dad. Just go away, Adrielle. Go away and don't come back."

"Harp—"

The door slammed shut in Adrielle's face, leaving her alone in the hallway.

"Adrielle, honey, you know she doesn't—"

"Is it true?"

Adrielle's mother inhaled sharply, and Adrielle didn't need to look over to know that her mother's hands were clutched at her breast.

"Is what true?" Adrielle's father asked, stepping in when her mother didn't respond.

"Is it true that you're having a hard time now," Adrielle asked again, hands clenched at her sides, her eyes trained at her feet as she fought off the burning sensation of tears.

"Drie—"

"Is it true?" Adrielle demanded, whirling around to face her parents, tears real now. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Honey, we didn't want—"

"Why didn't you tell me that me being here was making it worse for you?" Adrielle demanded, fighting to ignore the streaks of cold on her cheeks.

"Because it was fine, Drie. Because we didn't want to trouble you."

"Trouble me?" Adrielle asked, scoffing. " _Trouble_ me?"

"Honey—"

"No, Mom," Adrielle said, holding out a hand to stop her mother as her other went up to wipe away the remaining wetness on her face. "I'll leave. Now. Don't come looking for me. I'll contact you after I've found a place."

"Honey, you don't—"

"I want to," Adrielle snapped back, then recoiled, realizing her sharp her tone had gotten, how pained her parents' faces had become. "I—I love both of you. And tell Harper that I love her too."

Swinging away, Adrielle ran for the back door, gasping for air as she fought off the urge to cry again.

 _I won't cry I won't cry I won't cr—_

* * *

 _|| Early Morning | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Hoenn_

Adrielle blinked awake as the digital display at her bedside came into focus. Closing her eyes one last time before she opened them again and sat up, she set her backpack aside and sliding off her bed. Sitting down at her desk and pulling out a pen and a piece of paper, she bit her lip, staring at the smooth expanse of white.

 _C'mon. It's not that hard,_ she told herself, putting pen tip to paper.

— — —

 _Mom, Dad,_

 _Sorry for not writing these past few months, but I hope that everyone's doing well back home. Everything's fine on my end as well. The year's up tomorrow, so I'm going to head to the League office and get everything sorted out. This time, I'm thinking of starting in Johto. A change of scenery and all that. I probably won't be able to write much while I'm travelling, but don't worry about me too much. I'll know what to watch out for and who not to trust._

 _Take care of yourselves, and watch over Harper for me. I'm sure she hasn't found it in herself to forgive me yet, but I hope she can one day. Love and miss you all._

 _Your Daughter,_

 _Drie_

* * *

 _|| Morning | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Hoenn_

Cool morning air greeted Adrielle as she exited the local League office, the trademark gold-and-blue folder in her hands trembling with every step. Although the sun was well on its way up the sky, the sparsely-populated town offered little more than idle townsfolk and bubbly bikers, neither of whom were too rushed to get to the next hour of their day. The stolidly slow tempo was what originally drew Adrielle to the town, but now she felt a clear disconnection—a sense that she was and always had been but a guest, a tourist enjoying scenery in which she did not belong. This sense was reinforced by the folder in her hands, which contained the documents that marked both the end of her visit and the beginning of a new adventure.

"Everything you need to know about starting your journey as a Pokemon trainer," the first page of the booklet inside would exclaim exuberantly in bold, metallic print, as if the mere thickness of its font could dispel the doubts in its reader's heart. And it had, once upon a time so long ago that Adrielle could only just make out her fuzzy memories of the same yet different folder.

Coming to a stop in front of the building, Adrielle looked down at the folder in her hands and stared into the deep navy blue, trying to remain calm. To the eighteen-year-old girl four years ago, the packet had been a promise of adventure and experience, a symbol of the beginning of her new life. She could almost taste the excitement she'd felt back then, tangible and sickeningly sweet in her memories.

"Adrielle!" a voice called, interrupting Adrielle's train of thought. Turning, Adrielle spotted Cavan Massey jogging over, his hair and clothes as impeccable as his radiant smile. "Hey!"

Shocked into action, Adrielle hurriedly tried to pat down the lumps in her rumpled t-shirt and worn jeans, face flushing. _Couldn't I have picked another day to throw on clothes and walk out the door?_

"Hey, Cavan!" Adrielle said, voice cracking as the boy came to a stop in front of her. "Haven't heard from you in a while! I was getting worried—everything alright?"

"Everything's fine. We need to talk, but first," he said, retrieving a classic red and white Pokeball from his pocket. "Lennox asked me to give this to you. He said it was a gift."

Adrielle perked up at the mention of Lennox. The defense attorney's name brought back memories from exactly a year ago, when he had saved Adrielle from a life without Pokemon, fighting for a lighter sentence that he believed her worthy of despite her own uncertainty. The fact that he had sent Cavan to deliver a present wasn't surprising; Lennox knew better than anyone the date Adrielle's Probational status would be lifted. While he usually displayed a lack of tact for social norms, he had hit the nail on the head with this one. Cavan was Adrielle's closest friend and one of the few people that had stayed by her side despite her being Probationed. Where many who she'd previously never hesitate to label as friend found ways to cut themselves off from her, Cavan had stayed by her side, visiting once every other week to check on the girl he'd journeyed Hoenn with.

 _Well, almost every other week,_ Adrielle thought, glancing at Cavan. It'd been over three months since her longtime friend had even texted, much less called or visited. While he was prepping for the 2078 Hoenn Regionals, she told herself that he was just busy training; while he was being crowned regional champion, she told herself that he was getting used to his newfound publicity and responsibilities. But now…

"Thanks," Adrielle said as she received the Pokeball, her eyes dropping to the brilliant gold logo spanning Cavan's jacket. "Hoenn Regional League Champion," it announced in capital letters, catching sun and setting the jacket ablaze. A year ago, she'd been the one on the stage and in the spotlights, battling for the chance to own that jacket, yet now the words only brought notice to an emptiness inside her, vast and desolate.

 _Things have changed,_ she thought, her eyes sinking to the floor.

"Have you been busy, Cavan?" she asked quietly—uncertainly.

"Yes. Sort of," the boy said, rubbing his neck. "Actually, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?" she asked, her voice even smaller.

"Adrielle, would—"

The Pokeball collided against the floor with a dull thunk, rolling a few inches before Adrielle recovered herself enough to drop down and scoop it up.

"Sorry, I just—"

Met with silence, Adrielle glanced over to meet Cavan's eyes. They were blue as ever, but this time they held an inscrutable depth.

"Cavan—"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "It's nothing, I just figured it out. I, um, need to go now," he said, his eyes glancing left to his Staraptor. "Appointment with the League later today since I'm now, you know."

Four years of friendship helped Adrielle see through his words, and she was heartbroken. She'd lost many friends, some better than the others, but Cavan? The handsome, brilliant boy who'd stood by her during gym battles and traveled with her over seas and mountaintops? The boy who'd blushed when she hugged him after she'd won her first battle in the Qualifying Tournament for Regionals? The boy who was the first friend she made during her time as a Pokemon trainer?

"Of course, Cavan," Adrielle said, attempting to brighten her smile. She was unsure of whether it worked—the smile felt funny on her lips, too tight and wide on one side, almost painful on the other.

"Great," Cavan said, attempting a smile back as he signaled his Staraptor above. "Then… see you around?"

"See you," Adrielle said, watching as her friend of four years climbed on his Staraptor and took off to the skies. She watched as his silhouette became smaller and smaller, watched as his shadow disappeared behind the mountains on the horizon, watched even though she knew that she was watching another friendship come to an end.

 _Goodbye, Cavan,_ she thought, eyes wet.

* * *

 _|| Mid-morning | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Hoenn_

"You take care of yourself out there, sweetie," the landlady said as Adrielle handed over her keys.

"Thank you, Linda," Adrielle said with a smile. Her landlady was one of the few that had ignored Adrielle's Probational status, even offering to let Adrielle rent for less—something that Adrielle didn't fully appreciate until she sat down and crunched the numbers.

Her income as a trainer had been from winning contests and gym matches, relying on the League's system of reduced costs for trainers. While her rounds in the Hoenn Regional Tournament were her big break, her quarterfinalist match landing her more money than she'd ever seen before, between the damages she was held responsible for and the living costs for the past year, Adrielle was nearing the end of her savings. She'd packed up and sold off everything she didn't need and couldn't carry, but that hadn't helped her situation much. Now, all she had left was a small yet sturdy backpack and the remaining money on her card—the only remnants of her year Probationed.

"Don't forget to come back and visit when you're back in Hoenn!" the landlady called.

"I will!" Adrielle called back, waving as she walked off towards the docks. Her boat was at eleven, and it was only a short walk through town.

 _It's almost like I knew I'd be leaving,_ Adrielle thought, glancing down at her ticket.

Once upon a time, Adrielle Charbonnet had been an aspiring trainer, then a trainer, then finally a contender for Hoenn regional champion. Her future was brighter than she'd ever imagined, but her fame disappeared as quickly as it'd come. Now, she was a newly-licensed trainer with a single Pokemon to her name—a Pokemon whose species she didn't even know yet.

 _No, I promised myself that I wouldn't do this,_ she thought, stopping and squeezing her eyes shut. She'd spent the past year time grieving over her losses, and though much of it was but a haze in her mind, with countless late nights and nightmares haunting her every step of the way, she wouldn't—couldn't—give up. She'd lost control of her life one time, but she was determined to pick herself up and get back on track, because despite all the guilt and blame the public flung at her, she wouldn't be able to live it down if she were to give up now. Losing control was one thing, but giving up was another entirely—one that she wouldn't be able to reconcile with her Pokemon, who'd believed in her, supporting her through battles as much as she'd supported them. It was their belief in her that kept her from setting down her trainer case once in for all because such would mean that she was admitting defeat as both their trainer and their friend.

 _I won't fail again,_ Adrielle thought, quickening her pace. _I'll prove that we deserved our shot at the regional championship._

The news could condemn her and the public could decry her, but she believed in her Pokemon, so she wouldn't take the criticisms lying down. She wouldn't do as they said and give up, because that would mean she was giving up on her Pokemon too, and she could never do that. No, she would regain control of her life and fight for what her Pokemon believed in so that when their Probation ended, she would be able to make them as proud as they made her.

She would prove, a little over a year from now at the 2079 Johto Regional Tournament, that they were wrong in thinking that she wasn't fit to be a trainer.

That she herself was wrong.


	2. Chapter II — Scarlet Eyes

_|| Late Morning | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | In-transit to Johto_

 _I wonder what kinds of water-types are in there,_ Adrielle thought, peering at the water from over the ship's railing.

Her immediate thought went to Magikarp—the red, flopping messes that were practically a waste of space. In fact, they _would_ be a waste of space for any trainer unable to rear it correctly, but that hadn't stopped her the first time around. She'd needed a water-type, and she'd hooked one on her first try. Never mind that all the poor bloke knew was Splash or that he couldn't learn a single TM move—it was love at first sight. A mixture of stubborn adoration and almost idiotic adamance kept Adrielle with her new Magikarp, carrying him around in her arms from battle to battle until finally the glow of evolution took the floppy fish away and left her with a magnificent Gyarados named Lache.

 _Lache,_ Adrielle thought, hand going to the bag on her back to feel for the familiar outline of the Gyarados' Probation ball. Although the one her hand clamped down on could have been any of the three black-etched capsules in her bag, it didn't matter.

 _Lache, I'm not giving up. Not on you, and not on me,_ she thought, blinking tears out of her eyes.

"You alright, girl?" a man asked from her right, smoke puffing forth at each word. Adrielle wiped her nose with a sleeve and nodded, attempting a smile.

"Y—Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking," she said, succeeding in pasting on a smile. The man didn't seem to buy her act, but he turned away anyway.

 _When did I get so polite?_ Adrielle wondered, looking out to the ocean again. _A year ago, I probably wouldn't have even bothered to thank him, much less force a smile up._

Probationed—that was the term for what had happened to her. Although originally reserved for Pokemon kept in Probation balls, the word came to be informally applied to trainers as well since every probationed Pokemon was a permanent mark on their trainer's record. It was an ugly term, capitalized when applied to trainers—since, legally, only Pokemon were probationed—as if to make it more demeaning, heap on more responsibility and shame.

Adrielle had felt these effects in the past year, and she'd found out that her true friends numbered few and far. Those she'd thought to be her closest friends were the ones who fought and trained with her in hopes of reaching the Hoenn Regional Tournament, but they'd been the ones that abandoned her at the first notion of public scorn.

 _And now Cavan's one of them too,_ Adrielle thought.

During the three months leading up to Cavan's unspoken rejection, Adrielle had herself completely convinced of his innocence. She'd made excuses for him, fabricating stories for herself, desperate not to lose the closest friend she had after the loss of her Pokemon. Looking back, though, it was always clear where their friendship was going; though his visits had stopped first, his calls petering off soon after, by the time his texts cut off—most of them not even read—she was too invested in her own delusion to try and see the truth.

His ultimate choice, however, was to be expected: a trainer's popularity often decided how successful they were. Skill brought a trainer to public attention, but past that, trainers were on their own. Becoming a champion paid more not because of the championship itself, but because of the doors that opened once a trainer claimed the title. Advertising offers and job opportunities would crop up for champions and contenders alike, but only if public favor was on their side. In fact, nomination to compete for championship often rested on public opinion too, since only limited space was available in the actual tournament. As such, Probationed trainers rarely made it much farther than the Elite Four. Any further would draw intrigue from the press, which would sink in its claws quickly and viscously.

Adrielle's biggest concern, though, wasn't the press; it was her home region of Hoenn—a beautiful island full of life, love, and lore that had never ceased to enchant her during her travels. The same Hoenn, however, was home to everyone who'd cheered for her during the regional semifinals, everyone who'd turned their backs on her after the disaster before her match in the finals, and Adrielle couldn't bear to face all the mentor-like gym leaders and familiar faces at every stop.

 _That's why I'm starting over,_ she thought, looking at the vast expanse of ocean behind her. Somewhere beyond the visible horizon was the region she had and still did love dearly, but she needed a new beginning.

Turning again to face the bow of the boat, Adrielle looked down at her Pokeball belt. A single Pokeball hung there, gleaming in the sun.

 _A new Pokemon,_ Adrielle thought, uncertainty clouding her mind. Sure it was great to be saved the hassle of finding a starter, since she had no Pokemon to aid in catching wilds and no plans to buy one either. The going plan had been to buy a Pokeball and wander until she found a Pokemon willing to be caught, which was no plan at all. Really, though, she'd been putting it off, avoiding it as if doing so would make the issue disappear, because the truth of the matter was that she didn't _want_ to feel ready to own another Pokemon. Being prepared for that was like a slap in the face—a reminder that she could never recover her past.

 _Maybe it'll be a water-type like Lache,_ she thought, _or another type altogether. A type that I'd never even thought to have, like a psychic-type or—_

Adrielle stopped, unslinging her backpack and hugging it against her.

 _Lache, Delmont, Aedus,_ she thought, closing her eyes. Her Pokemon's names were on the tip of her tongue, their forms clear in her mind, and their selves tucked away in her bag, yet she'd never felt so far from them. Somehow, technology had enabled her to be simultaneously close to and far from her Pokemon, always in possession of but never able to call out her Pokemon from the capsules that contained them. The power of a Probation ball incited a terrified awe from Adrielle, for she both loathed and understood their existence.

 _Wait for me,_ she thought. _I'll make you proud._

Replacing her backpack, Adrielle focused her gaze on the shoreline in the distance. It was still a ways off, but the challenges and experiences promised felt as large as they did on her first day as a Pokemon trainer.

 _I'll make this work,_ Adrielle thought, wrapping a hand around the Pokeball on her belt. _I might not know who or what you are yet, but I'll make this work._ We'll _make this work._

* * *

 _|| Noon | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod Outskirts, Johto_

Disembarking the boat and finding an isolated place outside of town took just half an hour, but Adrielle managed to find a spot in the end. She was playing it careful, as she should, in case the Pokemon Lennox had decided to gift her did not take well to her at their first meeting. While she doubted that Lennox would send her some sort of rampaging beast, the possibility that the unknown Pokemon might resort to aggression, or even violence, upon seeing a stranger in possession of its Pokeball was not too far-fetched. A quiet spot had been necessary then, both so the Pokemon could process the new information calmly and so Adrielle and the Pokemon could observe each other in a controlled environment.

Planting her feet firmly on the ground, Adrielle took a few deep breaths to calm herself before popping the Pokeball from its place on her belt and holding it in front of her. The familiar phrases were on the tip of her tongue, but they all held the wrong names.

"C'mon out," Adrielle said, settling for something nice and neutral as she pressed the Pokeball's release button.

A flash of red light flowed out, coalescing into an odd, two-part shape. For a moment Adrielle thought that Lennox had sent her a Victreebel: The smooth, oblong form of the front portion of the Pokemon reminded her of the grass-type's poisonous pitcher. When the light disappeared, however, Adrielle was left looking at a large set of jaws, a single spot of light yellow offsetting the curve of black that was tipped with sharp, protruding teeth.

Having dealt with enough pointed teeth between her previous three Pokemon, Adrielle wasn't so much scared as she was confused. She wouldn't dare claim that she knew all the Pokemon species documented, but she'd like to believe that she knew the large majority, and the sight in front of her didn't ring any bells.

As if noticing the trainer's lack of a reaction, the Pokemon turned, facing the trainer head-on.

"Oh," Adrielle said, understanding striking her as she took in the light yellow Pokemon's black-edged limbs and wonderful distraction of a jaw. "You're a Mawile."

Without acknowledging the trainer's statement, the Pokemon focused its red eyes on the trainer's and communicated its fierce displeasure. Its glare—a burning scarlet that reminded Adrielle of a flickering fire—spoke of distrust and boundaries set by silence.

"Okay, I understand. I won't try anything," Adrielle said, flashing her palms to the Pokemon to convey surrender. "An acquaintance—Lennox—gave me your Pokeball. Do you remember him?"

The red eyes took on an edge of confusion, their wariness unwavering.

"Lennox—he should have been your trainer," Adrielle said, frowning. When the Mawile showed no sign of letting up, Adrielle figured that she was missing some part of the story. "Did you… perhaps have a different person as a trainer?"

A pause, and then a small nod, the jawed protrusion bouncing up and down with the motion.

Adrielle went quiet. There was only one sort of Pokemon Lennox could give her that could have had a previous trainer that wasn't the lawyer himself, and Adrielle felt a strong pang of hurt when she realized what sort.

This Mawile had been abandoned—likely after some near shave with the law. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence; too many trainers decided to give up Pokemon that might subtract from their publicity later in the game, but Adrielle felt uncomfortable about it nonetheless. If she was gunning for the big games—the Johto Regionals—should she really be picking up a Pokemon that had a bad streak on its record?

 _Lennox,_ Adrielle thought, sighing. The man had been a mixture of things, eccentric and spontaneous among them, and—now that she thought about it—the Mawile sounded like just the Pokemon that he'd send her. Physically and mentally strong, with an ugly stain in its past. It _was_ her—or, rather, who Lennox believed her to be. Still, she wouldn't keep a Pokemon that didn't want to be kept. Perhaps it'd want to be released instead?

 _If you couldn't see your previous trainer again, and it was between me and being released, what would you choose?_ Adrielle wondered, looking at the Mawile. It glared back, crossing its arms and turning around so that its fangs were bared instead.

"Do you still want a trainer?" Adrielle asked, choosing her words carefully. The Mawile froze, stiffening. "I mean, would you like to be released?"

The large jaws paused before giving a small shake.

No.

* * *

 _|| Afternoon | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Route 34 to Ilex Forest, Johto_

Despite the fact that the Mawile's second set of jaws were equipped with teeth as long as the first segment of Adrielle's thumb, the way the large jaw bobbed up and down was almost hypnotic, and Adrielle realized that she found the rhythmic movements a good distraction during the twenty-or-so minute walk from Goldenrod City to Ilex Forest.

The pair were heading there now to test out the Mawile's level, seeing as the initial introductions, which consisted of Adrielle's name and the Mawile's lack thereof, had gone rather smoothly—if the Mawile's silence could be taken as such. The Mawile seemed not to hate the idea of Adrielle stepping in as her trainer, though, and seemed to agree with Adrielle's reasoning that they should head to Ilex next. However, while she felt rather optimistic about the entire situation, she also felt a bit apprehensive; with her previous Pokemon, Adrielle had questioned neither her status as their trainer nor her authority over them, but with the Mawile, both of these were up in the air. She was, technically, a day-one trainer whose authority rested on the possession of the Mawile's Pokeball.

 _Well, at least I know her gender,_ Adrielle thought, eyes flicking to the bobbing jaws a small ways in front of her.

She'd had a chance to scan the Mawile with her Pokedex, yes, but the device hadn't helped much; the Pokedex's primary function was to serve as a database from which trainers could reference information on a particular Pokemon species. For individual cases, the device could do little more than a visual analysis. Where the gender of an Unefezant could be determined at a glance, the gender of a Pidgey or, in Adrielle's case, a Mawile, was more difficult to determine, and nearly impossible for the Pokedex to deduce with any degree of certainty. For these Pokemon, a trainer could either take it to a Pokemon Center, which would automatically log all information obtained by the healing machine during its scan, or the trainer could ask the Pokemon—which was what Adrielle had done.

 _Funny how she's never had a nickname before, though,_ Adrielle thought as the shadows of Ilex Forest crept closer. _I wonder how long her previous trainer had her for if they didn't even bother giving her a name._

The forest—upon arrival—appeared rather apathetic towards the trainer-Pokemon pair's entrance. It was, in its own way, quiet, the whisper of life muted away by leaves and darkness. Though she was neither ignored nor welcomed, Adrielle felt the oppressive feeling of being observed and quantified crawl through her skin, and she was sure that there were eyes watching from the shadows. The pockets of sunlight speckling the path only served to call more attention to her, blindingly bright in a forest of shaded trees and shrubbery.

A large pond lay to the right of the path, shaded by the trees. Swathed in obscurity, the body of water murmured of mysteries concealed in its depths, a slight breeze whispering over its smooth surface and into the trees as Adrielle passed. Though not large, the pond seemed large enough to support a wide array of small Pokemon, a few water-types included.

"Alright. Let's check out those bushes over there," Adrielle said, indicating the sparse greenery scattered along the side of the forest. At her side, the Mawile nodded, leading the way through the undergrowth. Silky ferns seemed to be the main population of Ilex, ranging from dark viridians to younger, lighter greens. The rustling of leaves parting in the wake of Adrielle's knees was echoed by the Mawile, and then by the far bushes.

 _Pokemon!_ Adrielle thought, but didn't pause her step. Running after one wild could mean alerting others, and Adrielle knew better.

A quiver from another set of bushes caused Adrielle to snap her head up in time to spot an orange crustacean-like creature crawl out from the ferns, pincers clicking. The brightly-colored mushrooms on its back wavered as it chattered indignantly at the trainer's transgressions. Adrielle had barely recovered from her surprise at finally encountering a wild when the Mawile jumped at the Paras.

"Wait!" Adrielle cried, ice-cold alarm flooding her veins. A Sleep Powder was clearly in order, or perhaps, worse, a Stun Spore—both of which Adrielle was hesitant to test, seeing as she only had two Full Heals on her. Her limited budget meant that until she could start reliably winning gym matches, she'd have to cut back on expenses, which meant saving healing items for emergencies. As such, she'd planned on making this an easy excursion by staying on the path and avoiding the darker parts of the forest where Pokemon like Paras were more likely to dwell. Between using one of her full heals and sprinting back to the Goldenrod Pokemon Center to get the Mawile healed free of cost, Adrielle hated to admit that the second seemed a lot more tempting at this point, despite having its own problems. Having to return the Mawile without a single successful battle could mean risking a serious blow to the Mawile's confidence, and while Adrielle hadn't planned on hitting the ground running, she also knew she didn't want to start her new trainership by tripping.

Her concern, however, was for naught; the Mawile—having swung her set of large, black jaws at the Paras and executed a hard, warning Bite—had managed to knock the Paras out with a single move. The bug-type lay on its back, legs twitching but otherwise stunned by the pain.

"Oh," Adrielle uttered, lifting her hand from the Mawile's Pokeball at her belt. The Mawile she'd been gifted was indeed strong—stronger than she'd predicted, and perhaps stronger than she wanted. Such strength meant two things: that the Mawile had spent long hours honing her skills and was probably no stranger to hard training, and that she was, therefore, well-bonded to her previous trainer.

Finding herself unsure of what to say, Adrielle settled on praise. "Good… job," she said haltingly. The Mawile, however underestimated, had proved herself capable. Now observing Adrielle with flat but thoughtful eyes, the Mawile was clearly forming her own opinions about her trainer, which worried Adrielle. Was she measuring up to whatever the Mawile had in mind for a trainer? Had the Mawile expected something different? Better?

Finished with her assessment, the Mawile turned away, zeroing in on another bush a distance away. Picking up on this, Adrielle glanced over in time to see a Caterpie come bumbling out of the undergrowth, completely unaware of the trainer and Pokemon a few bushes over.

"Wait," Adrielle asserted, forcing a bit of an edge into her voice that she hoped would work to her favor with the Mawile. "Let's try a different move this time. Can you use Fairy Wind?"

The Mawile gave Adrielle a blank look but didn't move. Then, slowly, she shook her head.

 _Alright, partial success,_ Adrielle thought, nodding. "Okay, how about Feint Attack then?"

The Mawile nodded, then stepped forwards. The Caterpie, as if sensing that something was amiss, paused, then looked around at its surroundings. As it looked, the Mawile shot into motion, launching herself at the bug-type and striking the Caterpie squarely on its back with a clenched fist. Recoiling, the Caterpie shrunk back, winded.

"Mawile!" Adrielle shouted, hoping that her voice would jar the Mawile enough to prevent her from attacking the now-defeated Caterpie. She needn't have worried though; the Mawile, having lost interest, was already on her way back to Adrielle, eyes flat.

"Er, good job," Adrielle amended, surprise mixing with relief. At least the Mawile's previous trainer, whoever they were, hadn't taught cruelty. "Let's try running through a few more moves before we head back to town. Have you ever heard of Iron Head?"


	3. Chapter III — The Eighth-badge Match

_|| Late Afternoon | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod, Johto_

The afternoon excursion into Ilex yielded the answers that Adrielle was looking for. While the Mawile was a steel-fairy dual, she seemed to prefer physical moves. In fact, the only non-physical moves she responded to were Taunt and Growl—both of which were relatively intuitive, leading Adrielle to conclude that the Mawile's previous trainer had likely trained the Mawile as a close-combat attacker.

 _She knows Play Rough, but not Fairy Wind,_ Adrielle thought, biting her lip as she glanced at the Mawile next to her. _I can't even begin to imagine how I'm going to try to explain that to her._

Sighing, Adrielle figured that she'd think about trying to perform the impossible later and focus on her current priority: getting food.

"So, what do you want to eat?" Adrielle asked as they walked through Goldenrod City proper. People bustled around the streets, rush hour in session as the sun started on the last arc of its descent. The sheer number of people flowing past her reminded Adrielle of why she'd chosen not to live in a city during her year off, and she felt a twinge of longing for the quiet streets of the small Hoenn town she'd temporarily called home.

"How about that?" Adrielle asked, spotting a humble-looking shop situated near the magnet train station. Glancing back at the Mawile, she saw her Pokemon's eyes drawn to the flashy neon lights of the infamous Goldenrod Game Corner.

"No, definitely not there," Adrielle said, her paltry card balance coming to mind. "We're going to… Goldenrod Smokes," she said, pointing again to her original choice, which looked like it would sooner go bankrupt itself than try to bankrupt her. Taking the Mawile's bland expression for consent, Adrielle led the way to the humble smokehouse.

 _We'll go berry-tasting tomorrow,_ she thought. _Some Pokemon open up easier if you hit through the stomach, and although she doesn't strike me as one of them, it wouldn't hurt to try._

Inside the small restaurant, wooden tables were arranged along the wall to make room for a decently-sized bar at which a few locals seemed to be enjoying programs playing on televisions hanging from low rafters. An employee—a single orange bandana offsetting the rest of his black uniform—greeted Adrielle at the door.

"Will your Pokemon be dining with you?" he asked as he lead Adrielle into the shop. "We offer smoked berries and poffins for Pokemon."

"Yes, that sounds great," Adrielle said, turning back to look at Mawile, who was busy observing the customers seated at the bar.

"Perfect. This'll be your table then, and here's your menu. The waiter will be with you shortly."

"Great, thanks," Adrielle said, sitting down. Noticing that the Mawile was staring at the chair warily, Adrielle frowned and got back up.

"Want a lift?" Adrielle joked as she pulled the Mawile's chair back for her. The Mawile, however, didn't look so amused as she sprung onto the chair and—a brief second of glancing around—kneeled. Adrielle smothered a giggle as she watched the Mawile puzzle over her new vantage point, opting for a cough when the Mawile looked over.

"So, do you know what berries you like?" Adrielle asked.

The Mawile stared back blankly.

"Berries," Adrielle repeated, holding up her menu and pointing to the corresponding picture. "You've had them before, right?"

The Mawile paused, then nodded slowly.

"Okay, but you don't know which ones you like," Adrielle said.

The Mawile nodded again.

"Alright. How about a 'sampler platter' then? It's just a variety of berries for you to try, and—"

Adrielle paused, staring at the menu. The cost of a sampler platter was more than the cost of two sandwiches from the shops around her residence in Hoenn.

"O—okay, sampler platter then?" Adrielle asked, turning her attention to the Mawile again, who answered with a tip of her head. "It's fine. I'll just get… some soup. Yeah. I mean, they usually have free bread too, right?"

The Mawile stared for a moment, shrugging before she turned to continue watching the televisions hanging at the bar.

Sighing, Adrielle glanced over at a few other tables and, confirming that Goldenrod Smokes indeed served free bread with meals, went about looking for her server. Ten minutes later, orders were placed, and Adrielle had begun munching on the sliced bread brought to their table.

 _The bonuses dealt out after winning a gym match would be able to sustain us for at least three or four months, if we portioned them appropriately,_ she thought, frowning as she glanced at the Mawile seated across from her, whose attention was fixed on the Corsola races being broadcasted overhead. _I wonder if she'll be able to take on a gym leader at this point? Technically, she should be more than capable of handling zero-badge gym Pokemon, but…_

"One sampler platter and one smoked bacon and potato soup?"

"Yep," Adrielle confirmed as the server arrived with the dishes. The soup was as aromatic as its name promised, but the sampler platter had turned out to be less than what Adrielle had imagined. A little over a dozen half-dried berries lay arranged on the plate in a circle, each speared by a toothpick.

 _The price of fancy food,_ she thought, dipping her bread into her soup. _I forgot how expensive cities were._

Noticing that the Mawile hadn't moved, Adrielle smiled.

"Go ahead. They're for you," Adrielle said, nodding at the plate. "Try them out and see which ones you like. I'll need to buy you berries tomorrow anyway."

The Mawile blinked, then cautiously reached out and picked up a toothpick-speared berry that resembled a discolored Pecha berry. After another second of examination, the Mawile gingerly placed the berry into her mouth, removing the toothpick as if as an afterthought.

"How is it?" Adrielle asked, watching for the Mawile's reaction

Chewing slowly, the Mawile set down the toothpick, her expression shifting from vague interest to the general apathy she'd presented before the berries arrived.

"Okay, you don't like sweet berries, but not all of them are sweet. Try this one," Adrielle encouraged, pointing to what she believed was a Chesto berry.

The Mawile gave her a funny look but complied, picking up the browned Chesto and popping it into her mouth. A few chews later, she set down the toothpick, her expression bland once again.

"Alright, not dry ones either," Adrielle said, pointing out a dried Rawst berry. "Next is this one, which is bitter. If you don't want to try it, though, I completely understand."

The Mawile focused on Adrielle, her gaze inscrutable. Then, with one swift motion, the Rawst berry disappeared into the Mawile's mouth.

"Oh," Adrielle said, but her surprise shifted into amusement when the Mawile curled her lips in distaste. "Here, have some water to wash it down," Adrielle said, smiling as she handed the Mawile a cup.

 _Her previous trainer pushed her into things,_ Adrielle thought as she watched the Mawile sip the water. _They pushed her in, and when she resisted, they abandoned her._

Adrielle paused, staring at the bowl of soup in front of her.

 _Who am I to judge?_ she thought. _I'm the same, really. Different circumstances, but, in the end, it's all the same._

Her eyes slid to the backpack on her lap, where it often stayed, never let out of sight.

 _It's all the same._

* * *

 _|| Evening | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod, Johto_

The Mawile ended up having the strongest reaction to the dried Cheri berries, meaning that she looked slightly surprised when the red berry's signature kick of spice bit in. This, however, didn't automatically mean that she liked spicy berries, and Adrielle figured that she should test it again before concluding anything.

After they'd finished dinner—the Mawile piling up all the toothpicks and Adrielle cleaning out the basket of free bread—Adrielle had figured that they should drop by the gym and scout out the competition. While a financial crisis wasn't imminent, Adrielle wanted to have the reassurance of a few month's buffer, and—having seen the Mawile's strength—she knew that the main barrier was trust rather than skill, which was both comforting and not. The main point of focus would always be working to understand her Pokemon and build trust between them, but for early gyms, a strong Pokemon could potentially clear out their competition without any instruction from their trainer. However, this also made a Pokemon prone to arrogance, which strong Pokemon with inexperienced trainers were particularly susceptible to, and while Adrielle knew she wasn't inexperienced, she also knew that it could seem that way since she had no available Pokemon to attest to her skill.

 _Normal-type gym, if I remember correctly,_ Adrielle thought as the orange-rimmed structure neared. _A common pick for a starting gym, since the type itself is pretty easy to understand._

Her eyes took in the navy-and-gold detail hanging above the double doors blankly, tracing over the gold blocked "P" and "L" staggered over each other to form the Pokemon League's logo. "Goldenrod City Pokemon Gym," the plaque beside the door proclaimed proudly. "Leader: Joanne, The Petite Competitive Eater!"

 _Has it really been over two years already?_ Adrielle wondered as she stared up at the gym. Here was a building that every trainer in the circuit would pass through, a building that represented the humble foundations of trainerhood. Standing here, Adrielle realized that she'd completely forgotten the precarious swirl of excitement and awe that accompanied challenging a gym—excitement and awe that bordered on terror, and very well would have been terror if it weren't for the fact that—

 _If it weren't for the fact that I had my Pokemon at my side,_ Adrielle thought, eyes dropping. Terror—that was what she felt as she stood here now, under the League's logo. There were standards a trainer had to live up to in order to win a badge, and she'd lost all of her own badges. What made her think that she deserved to win any back?

 _I don't know,_ she thought, glancing back up at the emblazoned logo atop the double doors as she led the way in, _but I'm going to find out._

* * *

 _|| Evening | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod Gym, Johto_

Luckily for Adrielle, Joanne had decided to work the day. However, this also meant that she her presence couldn't be counted on for the rest of the week, since gym leaders could decide their own schedules. Unlike champions, who the League employed and dealt tasks to, gym leaders were given the freedom of choosing when they wanted to open their gyms. The only requirement was that they open for at least forty-five hours a week. As long as they opened for forty-five hours, the League looked the other way.

 _Hopefully Joanne's the more reasonable sort,_ Adrielle thought, watching from the stands as Joanne's Lickintung wrapped a Sandshrew up with its tongue, lifting the ground-type.

While most gym leaders were reasonable, Adrielle had met a few who weren't. The flying-type gym leader at Fortree City, Hoenn, for example, liked to rush his hours in three days and spend the other four "exploring the skies." Sure, it was partially her fault for not getting his schedule beforehand, but never had four days felt so long.

Adrielle winced, ducking instinctively in horror when the Sandshrew's Fury Cutter carved out a series of deep gouges in the Lickintung's side. _Gym Pokemon and their pain tolerance,_ she thought, watching in dismay as the Lickintung winced and wiped futily at freely flowing blood.

From what she'd seen so far, Joanne's normal-types all seemed to be highly-trained, executing moves at a moment's notice with incredible accuracy. The good thing was that Mawile was a steel-type and therefore resistant to many of the physical attacks Joanne's Pokemon seemed to prefer. However, the challengers she'd seen hadn't been zero-badge trainers like herself—most already had three or four badges under their belt—so she couldn't conclude imminent victory just yet.

 _Well, that's what happens when you don't go by the League's recommended route through the region,_ Adrielle thought, sighing. Glancing to her left, Adrielle saw that her Mawile was completely absorbed in the match, eyes flicking rapidly between the trainers and their Pokemon.

 _She's a bit stronger than the Pokemon Joanne's been using, yes, but she recognizes that they're formidable in their own way,_ Adrielle thought. _That's good._

Cheering broke out around Adrielle, and she looked up to see the young challenger holding up his badge to the crowd, beaming. The boy exchanged a few words with Joanne, who patted him on the shoulder and sent him on his way. Grinning ear-to-ear, the gym leader looked like she was just over Adrielle's age. _She probably won Regionals before she turned twenty—a career trainer who's lived and breathed alongside Pokemon since before her double digits._

Many people aspired to be gym leaders, but few ever realized that dream. Although their freedom and stable salary drew flocks of hopefuls, only champions could apply for gym leadership, and while regions ground out new champions every year, gym leader positions only opened when existing leaders stepped down. The chances of a champion becoming a gym leader were akin to a small lottery; many champions, in fact, had taken to signing on as "understudies" for gym leaders, offering free labor around the gym until the leader's retirement in hopes that they might curry enough favor to be recommended for succession. So, although the League had shifted the passing of gym leader positions away from inheritance, leader position could easily remain in the same family for generations if each successive candidate was qualified enough.

 _I wonder that was the case for her,_ Adrielle thought. The method was cheap yet effective, but Joanne didn't seem to Adrielle to be the kind of person to seek shortcuts.

"Anyone else down there?" Joanne called down to the other gym employees. Her platform was the only elevated part of the building, equipped with two doors: one for trainers and one for spectators. Full-day viewership tickets were available for the price of a movie ticket, supplementing both the League's and the Gym's funds. The tricky part was figuring out what day and time challengers were likely to come in on, since trainers didn't exactly follow a strict schedule.

"One more—a strong one!" came the reply from the first story. Joanne took a swig of her water.

"Okay! Send 'em up!" she shouted, walking over to the PC machine set up on the side of the room. She was just through unclipping and depositing her previous set of Pokeballs when the new contestant emerged from the stairway.

"Congratulations on making it here," Joanne said, grinning at the contestant, "but it won't be as easy to beat me. What badge is this for you?"

"Eighth," the boy replied examining his cuticles.

"Well! I'm honored that you decided to make me your final test," Joanne said, scrolling through her PC. "People rarely think normal-types are scary since they're 'normal' and all that, but I'm glad you understand."

"Actually, I left you off until the end because I thought you'd be the easiest to beat at max power," the boy said, dusting his hands off and brushing a stray lock of brown hair out of his eyes. "If the gym aides here are any measure of how strong normal-types really are, I think I'll do fine."

"Go DW!" came a cry, and Adrielle turned to spot a group of poster-wielding teenagers at the stands to her left.

 _He's putting on a show,_ she realized. _He's trying to build up his fan base before heading to the finals._

Despite the fact that gym leaders were rarer than champions, champions—and sometimes even would-be contenders for championship—were almost always guaranteed to be more popular. While champions flew off to protect distant lands and save cities from destruction, members of the gym circuit stayed in their gyms, stagnant, accessible, and increasingly mundane in their "outdatedness." In fact, where news stations would fight to film champions practicing, gym leaders tended only to make headlines twice: at appointment and at retirement. They were respected and admired in the way champions were adored and worshiped, taken for granted despite continuously proving themselves.

 _Mainstream culture,_ Adrielle thought, eyeing the yawning challenger warily.

"Are we going to start soon or what?" he asked through hooded eyes, smacking his lips.

"You're awfully confident for someone going into their final gym match. You really think it'll be that easy?" Joanne asked, returning to the painted battlefield with five Pokeballs around her waist. "I guess I'll just have to take you down a notch."

Two Pokemon materialized on the field—a slender, chocolate-colored rabbit Pokemon tipped with cream clouds bouncing between its feet on Joanne's side, and a hulking black-and-white beast chewing a sprig of green on Darren's. _Lopunny and… Pangoro, a fighting-dark dual,_ Adrielle thought, scanning the entry in her Pokedex. The Lopunny was at a clear disadvantage here, facing off against a foe whose attacks were naturally more attuned to the Lopunny's weaknesses.

Joanne, however, looked quite calm despite the revelation of her first enemy.

"Lopunny, start off with Agility!" she called.

Trilling a call, the Lopunny sped up its bouncing, its ears swaying with the movement until they blurred together entirely.

"Pan, Entrainment," Darren said with a wave of his hand. "Put that fluffball in her place."

The boy's Pangoro roared, beating its chest. Then, as if mimicking the Lopunny, it crouched down, bouncing slowly between its two feet. Its thunderous pounds shook the floor, startling the Lopunny and forcing it to adopt an off-beat rhythm in order to avoid tripping on the tremors. In doing so, however, the Lopunny was also forced to slow to the Pangoro's speed, nulling the effects of its previous move.

"Lopunny, Baby-Doll Eyes and then Jump Kick!" Joanne said, not missing a beat.

Jumping into the air, the Lopunny twirled, batting its eyes at the Pangoro, who—in its captivation—misstepped, tripping over its own feet and slumping to the ground. Then, in a movement as precise as it was elegant, the Lopunny leaned to one side, sticking out a slim but powerful leg that cast a long shadow over the Pangoro's face and foreshadowed the imminent Jump Kick.

"Pan!" Darren shouted sharply

The Pangoro visibly jolted, only just managing to thrust itself out of the way as the Lopunny's leg came crashing down, landing on the battle floor with a resounding thunk as bone collided with solid ground. However, despite the clear pain, the Lopunny managed to rise and skirt out of the range of the Pangoro's grasping arms, landing and resuming its previous hopping a short distance away from the Pangoro, who shook out its fur, snorting so heavily Adrielle could feel its fury from the stands.

"You can do it Darren! Don't let her trip you up!" a fan called, inciting a round of cheers from the left side of the stands. The right, however, remained silent, and Adrielle was quite certain as to who her side was rooting for.

"Hit it with a Quick Attack, then Charm, Lopunny!" Joanne called. In front of her, her Lopunny sprang into action, its ears streamlined behind it as it rushed towards the opposing fighting-type. The Pangoro, though, was prepared this time, having missed the chance to grab the Lopunny earlier. A loose grin hung on its face, its eyes fixed on its target.

"Low Sweep, Pan!"

The fighting-type was a second ahead of its trainer, though, already dropping down to kick the Lopunny's feet out from under it.

"Lopunny, dodge with Bounce!" Joanne yelled, but her Pokemon was a step too late. The Pangoro's leg connected, sweeping the Lopunny's feet out from under it and knocking it onto its side at an awkward angle. The Lopunny's head bounced upon impact, the thud of bone on flooring again echoing throughout the quiet gym as breaths caught.

Movement from the sprawled mound of brown fur restarted life inside the gym, the Lopunny—visibly disoriented—struggling to sit up as the Pangoro approached, readying its next attack with a victorious grin.

 _He used the Lopunny's speed to his advantage,_ Adrielle realized, slightly miffed at the revelation that Darren was, in fact, a trainer who could think well on his feet. _That attack could very well have put the Lopunny out of the match. A "critical hit," executed with forethought and understanding of the move—a true competitive trainer._

"Pangoro, Circle Throw!" Darren called, grinning as well. Victory seemed imminent, with the opposing Pokemon lying prone on the floor. His fans echoed his thoughts from the left side of the stands, cheers rising in volume and intensity as the first battle seemed to draw to an exciting end.

"Lopunny, Return!" Joanne yelled, voice steely despite her situation.

Adrielle felt a shot of admiration for the gym leader flash through her mind as she wondered whether she be able to remain as calm as Joanne was in such a situation. Her eyes, though, were torn away to the battling Pokemon as the Pangoro swung its arms towards the smaller, slimmer Pokemon on the floor.

Just as the Pangoro's arms closed in on his dazzled victim, the Lopunny snapped its head towards its trainer and leaped into the air, as if seeing Joanne through the fog of its disorientation. Slipping through the Pangoro's grabbing paws, the Lopunny used the fighting-type's face as a launchpad, kicking off to soar towards its trainer, who returned the normal-type with a quick click of a readied Pokeball.

 _It moved on instinct, relying on where its trainer's voice sounded from to orientate itself and visualize its enemy's location,_ Adrielle realized, impressed. _Joanne must have practiced this combination a lot, knowing that her Lopunny was prone to getting injured and disorientated due to its moveset._

Joanne leaned down and whispered into the Pokeball in her hands briefly, quietly, before straightening up and clicking the Pokeball back onto her belt. "Good job. You're a strong trainer, but don't underestimate me just yet," Joanne said, unclicking her next Pokeball. "I've still got a few more tricks up my sleeve, and your Pangoro won't be able to deal with all of them."

Across the field, the Pangoro shook out its fur, and Darren smirked.

* * *

 _|| Late Evening | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod Gym, Johto_

The rest of the gym match went quickly, heavily favoring the challenger. Darren's Pangoro—taken down by a regal-looking Stantler after one more successful battle—was replaced by a Feraligatr—Darren's starter, it seemed—then a Noctowl that escorted Darren to victory with a fierce Drill Peck.

"You're a strong trainer," Joanne said, handing the Plain Badge to the smug challenger with a tight smile. "I hope you continue to train hard and improve."

"Of course," Darren replied curtly, turning to the stands. Flashing his badge case victoriously, he clicked it open and slowly—dramatically—fitted the final badge into place. "Looks like all I have left is the elite four before I register for the Regional Tournament," he said loudly, brandishing his case at his audience. The poster-bearing side of the stands went wild, and Adrielle looked away.

 _He's… disgusting. All this, for show? To gather up fans that only see you for the strength you represent, the power you appear to command?_ Adrielle thought, her own spite bleeding through as she stood and made for the exit of the gym. _Fans—what a joke._

"C'mon, Mawile. Let's go," Adrielle said, rising.

Her Mawile looked over, as if surprised, then—with one last glance at the cheering crowd—quickly followed Adrielle out.

The night air was cool against Adrielle's cheek, but the city was aglow with lights. Brightest were the department store's, its ever-changing LED screens clearly visible above its neighbors, and the Game Corner was a close second, practically glowing a neon white.

"Where to now?" Adrielle asked. It was still a bit early to call it a day, and although trainers were usually morning birds since sunlight was the light of choice, Adrielle was feeling a bit too riled for sleep at the moment.

Looking over at her Mawile, Adrielle saw her own energy reflected back, albeit differently. The Mawile seemed to be raring to go, eyes bright against the streetlights' glow.

"Alright. What do you say we give Ilex another go then?" Adrielle asked, grinning.


	4. Chapter IV — Shadows of Night

_|| Night | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Ilex Forest, Johto_

Any semblance of a forest Ilex retained during the day disappeared under the swath of darkness that was night, and while Adrielle's flashlight did its job well, the night did better, limiting her vision to a ten-meter radius. Whispers of wings and shifting leaves were the only sounds that broke the silence as Adrielle and the Mawile walked along the dark path trailing into blackness.

 _I can hear Pokemon, but with my flashlight, they won't come close,_ Adrielle thought, glancing at the Mawile beside her, whose eyes were busy scanning the undergrowth.

The soft crunching of leaves up ahead caused Adrielle to snap towards its source. A Weedle was crawling out from the undergrowth, the faint light from Adrielle's flashlight—still directed elsewhere—glinting off the stinger atop its head as it chewed on a leaf it was holding.

 _Good thing she's partially immune to poison-type attacks,_ Adrielle thought, looking to the Mawile.

"Alright, try using the shadows to sneak up on it, like you would in a Feint Attack," Adrielle whispered, "but instead of a Bite or a punch, use an Iron Head when you're close enough."

The Mawile nodded and slunk off into the shadows, creeping towards the unsuspecting Weedle who was too busy sifting through the forest floor for more leaves to notice the approaching Mawile—a mistake that it paid for when the Mawile sprung out from the shadowy brush, sending the Weedle flying with a swat of her armored jaws.

"Good, Mawile!" Adrielle called. "Now, come—"

She stopped, realizing that the Mawile hadn't. Instead, the Mawile had rushed the fallen Weedle, clamping her jaws around the squirming bug's midsection and raising it into the air.

 _Vice Grip,_ Adrielle realized, watching with wide eyes as the Mawile gave the Weedle a final shake before dropping it. Where Adrielle had meant for the Iron Head to end the battle, the Mawile had seen it as a starting point, using it to stun the Weedle and render it unable to dodge her next move.

 _She weighed the options and decided to go with what she thought best,_ Adrielle realized, watching blankly as the Mawile returned. _I was afraid that the inside of her jaws wasn't protected, so I told her not to use Bite, but she knew they were._

"Good job," Adrielle said uncertainly when the Mawile stopped at her side. Doubt clouded her mind as she tried to pick out her next words. While she could praise the Mawile for following her initial orders, she wasn't sure what to do beyond that.

"Next time, let's try working together more," Adrielle said, settling on positivity. The Mawile hadn't done anything wrong, and Pokemon should be given freedom to do what they felt right. That said, giving Pokemon too much freedom was also a problem since they could end up in the habit of ignoring their trainer. However, it was still day one, and the issue of finding the right balance between freedom and control was a long and delicate knot to unwind—one that Adrielle figured that she could hold off on for the moment.

The Mawile, hearing her trainer's words, stared at Adrielle silently.

 _Was she expecting something else?_ Adrielle wondered, trying to place the Mawile's gaze. _Something her previous trainer would have done?_

"Let's move on," Adrielle said, deciding to shelve the thought. The ominous darkness around her was starting to feel too alive for her liking, but she still wanted to get another battle in before she called it a night.

 _I need to confirm something,_ Adrielle thought, glancing back at the Mawile, who had resumed her scanning.

From what she'd seen so far, the Mawile seemed to heavily favor Bite and its variations. Though an inclination towards a move was fine on its own, the combination of a preference with a tendency to default to the move whenever possible would result in a predictable and therefore avoidable Pokemon.

 _Her previous trainer probably didn't spend a lot of time developing her moveset,_ Adrielle thought as she walked, flicking her flashlight from bush to bush as she checked for Pokemon. _They used her as a front-line battler, focusing on physical moves and not thinking to explore other, less obvious options._

It was a trap a lot of trainers fell into, including many champions, because to a certain extent it was correct: Pokemon should stick to their natural talents. However, trainers who built more tightly-knit teams like Adrielle had known the value of pushing their Pokemon to explore and diversify, since doing so could yield surprising discoveries. Every Pokemon species had unique strengths, but so did every individual Pokemon. The downside to experimentation, however, was that it was a time-consuming process and didn't always yield results. Some trainers swore by it, and some thought it an unnecessary waste of time.

 _Just one more point to work on,_ Adrielle thought, sighing as she noted it down in her mental checklist.

Something thudded on the forest floor to her right, causing Adrielle to spin around, eyes wide. The darkness between the trees was still, showing no indication of ever having made a sound, and Adrielle waited until another moment of silence had passed before she relaxed.

 _I need to stop being so jumpy,_ she thought. _It was probably just a Metapod who wasn't smart enough to secure itself properly._

"Let's move on—we're not here to pick fights. Just to train," she said, glancing at the Mawile beside her, whose eyes hadn't left the darkness. Adrielle took a few steps forwards, but when the Mawile didn't budge, she paused, peering back apprehensively.

 _What is it?_ she wondered, glancing at the Mawile from the corner of her eye. _There's nothing too dangerous in Ilex. Beedrill—but they don't leave their nests at night._

Her heartbeat was the only sound she heard at this point, and her palms were growing damp despite the cold dread creeping up her chest. The air around her felt icy as well, cold and dry in her fear.

 _If we keep still, there's a chance that whatever it is will just grow bored and—_

The Mawile took a step forwards, arching her jaws overhead, and Adrielle's hand shot towards the Pokeball on her hip.

 _Don't move don't move don't—_

A murky blue Pokemon scurried out of the underbrush, the disheveled leaves atop its head rustling fervently with the motion. Spotting the trainer and Pokemon, it immediately veered course for far bushes, a panicked spring in its step as it worked its bipedal legs.

 _An Oddish?_ Adrielle wondered, watching the Pokemon run off. Turning back to the Mawile, she found the Pokemon glancing between the disappearing Oddish and the shadowy bush it'd emerged from, seeming just as confused as Adrielle was.

"Well, that was a whole lot of nothing," Adrielle said, attempting a grin. Her heart was still in the middle of slowing its pace, and she found herself both relieved and amused, but the nagging chill that she'd felt moments ago stayed with her.

"Let's head back towards Route 34," Adrielle said, taking a few shaky steps towards the way she'd come. "There might be a few more wilds there."

The Mawile nodded, following along.

 _Was it the Oddish?_ Adrielle wondered, giving the shadowy darkness behind her one last glance. _But the Oddish seemed like it'd seen something even before it spotted us._

Adrielle shook her head.

 _Jumpy,_ she reminded herself, picking up her pace.

* * *

 _|| Night | Monday, September 18th, 2078 | Goldenrod Pokemon Center, Johto_

Adrielle sank down onto the bed, her Pokedex open in her hands as she scrolled through the database entry on Ilex Forest.

 _Definitely not a Golduck or Carnivine, since one's a water-type and the other's out of season,_ she thought, scanning the Pokemon's entries with a frown. _A Noctowl maybe?_

Her mind turned briefly to the darkness she'd seen earlier that night, the faint chill that sent light shivers of fear down her spine.

 _No,_ she thought, _that's not it either._

She sighed, glancing over at the Mawile, who was too busy processing the images on the television screen to notice Adrielle staring at her from the bed.

 _I have more important things to worry about than the possibility of Noctowls that walk around on the forest floor,_ Adrielle reminded herself.

The first thing she wanted to work on was the Mawile's movepool, which was too physically based for Adrielle's comfort. The Mawile could smack a great Iron Head and deliver a wonderful Play Rough, but ask her to perform a Sweet Scent and she was immediately out of her depth.

 _Sweet Scent,_ Adrielle thought, skimming over the move's entry in the Pokedex. _The easiest thing to do would be to let her see the move in action, since seeing it is better than having it explained verbally._

Adrielle had used this strategy multiple times, sometimes employing the help of other trainers, and sometimes just letting her Pokemon teach each other. When she'd been trying to teach her Steelix, Delmont, Ice Fang, Adrielle had simply set Lache on him, entrusting the Gyarados with the task of wrestling a bit of ice into the Steelix's usual Crunches. And while the Gyarados' methods were effective, the Steelix didn't appreciate them much, which he made clear when Adrielle had them swap roles, figuring that Delmont's Dragon Breath was similar enough to Lache's undeveloped Dragon Rage to warrant a try. Adrielle had to recall them a few times the second time around when their sparring grew too much for their grassy training grounds to handle, but they made up quickly afterwards when the Gyarados offered his share of berries to the Steelix as a thank-you gift.

 _You'd think that they'd eventually grow up and stop fighting,_ Adrielle thought, a sad smile stretching across her lips as she glanced down at the backpack on her lap. _Delmont, Lache, you big, lovable idiots. I miss you._

A cheer from the television brought Adrielle back to the present, her eyes flicking briefly from the winning contestant on the screen to the Mawile watching from the chair, then back to the Pokedex in her hands.

 _Right,_ she thought, scrolling through the list of common Pokemon who knew Sweet Scent. _Finding another Pokemon isn't really an option since I don't know any trainers, so I guess finding a wild…_

Her eyes came to a rest on the pixelated image of a familiar blue, sprout-topped Pokemon.

 _No,_ she thought, exiting the app. _We'll just have to do it the long way._

Sighing, she swapped to the Pokedex's emailing feature, where a few emails lay in wait for her. The two Adrielle opened were from her long-time correspondents, Lennox and Casey, both of whom led busy lives outside the bubble that was Pokemon training, which was probably why they were able to look past Adrielle's Probation so easily.

Lennox, of course, wanted to know how Adrielle liked his surprise gift. Unsurprisingly, the Mawile turned out to be a Pokemon abandoned at the League offices, Lennox even speculating that the former trainer—whose confidentiality was kept by the League—could have very well been a champion for all he knew.

 _Well there's an interesting thought,_ Adrielle thought, glancing at the Mawile again. Though she definitely wasn't yet championship material, there was a definite possibility that her original trainer might have been one. Such would explain her apathy towards switching trainers; a Pokemon's bond with their trainer was usually a good indication of how long they'd been under their trainer's care. The Mawile, under this reasoning, should have been owned for a relatively short period of time, yet her strength suggested otherwise.

 _Either she was caught strong,_ Adrielle thought, wincing, _or she was trained very hard._

Adrielle's response to Lennox thanked him for the unexpected but exceedingly kind and thoughtful gesture and touched on how strong the Mawile was, agreeing that her previous trainer must have been quite strong before she closed—as always—with another round of gratitude for what the lawyer did for her a year ago. In many ways, Lennox saved her both physically and mentally, reminding her that being Probationed was more of an extra mountain to climb than the end of the world.

 _I could never hope to thank you enough for standing up and believing in me,_ was the much-reiterated line, and it was true. In many ways, Lennox's belief in her was also one of the reasons she'd chosen to pursue the championship again, and though it wasn't her sole reason, his belief definitely helped remind her of her desire to live up to her Pokemons' expectations of her.

In the other email, Casey, her bookish friend in glasses from her high school days, detailed—in her usual, windingly wordy yet endearingly enthusiastic way—her newest advances in her research. They'd made a headstrong and ebullient pair through their schooling, both knowing full well that their dreams would lead them on very different paths yet sticking together in spite of it. Where Adrielle had applied for trainership with an air of bravado, Casey had been busy drafting applications to prestigious city universities, enthusing about researchers and theories she admired. Her keen interest in understanding Pokemon mirrored Adrielle's desire to experience them firsthand, and when it was finally time for them to part—Adrielle raring to explore the vast Hoenn landscape and Casey gushing as she packed to leave for the city—they'd bawled their eyes out and sent each other off with demands rather than well-wishes.

"You better become champion, or I'm not going to write anymore!" Casey had shouted as she boarded the train, blinking fiercely.

"And you'd better cook up something good in that lab of yours, or I'm going to delete your number!" Adrielle had shouted back, eyes watery as well.

Their tight friendship had diffused somewhat over the years, watered down by new responsibilities and commitments, but they'd never lost touch, and when Adrielle's scandal happened, Casey was at her side in an instant, lab coat wrinkles and loose strands of hair abound as she asked if her friend was alright, hugging Adrielle through her tears. Though Adrielle was the one that'd changed, the personality that'd diverged from their united front of indifference in the face of the world, Casey had stuck with her, bogging her down with weekly emails about her new exploits and urging Adrielle to "get out of the damn house already." Like Lennox, Casey had been a pillar of support in Adrielle's collapsing world, holding her up through her failures, and Adrielle felt only immeasurable affection and gratitude for her friend as she read Casey's pages of text from start to finish.

Casey's ongoing project—two years now in the running—was focused around looking into the evolutionary mechanisms of Electrike to Manectric. Something about the spike in electrical energy immediately after evolution had perked Casey's interest, and though much of the technicalities were lost on Adrielle—something about electron capacitance and possible violations of the velocity coefficient of friction had been covered in the last email she'd received, and she'd understood none of what it had to do with Pokemon evolution—she did her best to keep up. In her newest email, Casey focused mainly on the fact that one of her Manectric test subjects had arrived pregnant despite multiple reiterations that donated Pokemon should not have any "existing ailments or conditions that might cause a change in their average output of electricity." She'd decided against sending the Manectric back to the League, of course, lest it be shelved away in one of the League's infinite digital boxes, and while her exasperated impatience was clear in her writing, her concern for the mother could be seen from between the lines as she questioned the efficacy and safety of having larger litters if the mother was left immobile in the process.

 _Well, it's a good thing she came along when she did, then,_ Adrielle typed, amused by her friend's seeming distress over something significantly more simple to understand than electromagnetic induction. _Just remember to start looking around for possible adoptees soon if you don't want to be left with Electrike pups not due to evolve for months._

After tying up her email with a summary of how her new trainership was going and sending it, Adrielle closed her Pokedex and turned to look at her Mawile, who'd turned away from the television in favor of the window.

"I'm closing the lights now," she said, reaching for the switch.

The Mawile glanced over briefly before turning back, and Adrielle flicked the switch. The room went dark, save for the faint light seeping in from outside the window.

"Good night, Mawile," Adrielle said, closing her eyes and drawing her backpack close.

 _Good night, Aedus, Delmont, Lache,_ she thought.

* * *

"Aedus!" Adrielle called, sprinting through the darkness. "Delmont! Lache!"

Wind whipped past her cheek, and rain soaked and stole what little warmth she had, but none of that registered. All that existed was a tight, coiled panic in her chest as she searched for the familiar colors of her Pokemon through the shadows.

"Aedus! Where are you?" she shouted, panting as she slowed. She wasn't sure where she was or how she got there, but her Pokemon were here somewhere, and she was going to find them.

"Harper?" Adrielle asked, spotting the familiar figure of her younger sister.

The younger girl glanced at Adrielle, recognition flashing across her face, before turning quickly and walking in the opposite direction.

"Harper!" Adrielle yelled, running towards her sister. "Hold on, Harper! Harper!"

"She said she won't come home when you're here," a voice said quietly from her left. Turning, Adrielle saw her parents standing there, her father's arm draped comfortingly around the shoulders of her teary-eyed mother. "They… they call her names at school. Tell her not to go, to stay home. And we've received mail—hate rants, curses, threats. But it's okay, Adrielle. We don't blame you."

Her mother choked, a sob lodged in her throat. Adrielle's father hugged her mother, shaking his head. "Just give her time, Adrielle. Everything will pass. We'll get through this."

"You're really Probationed?" another voice interrupted. Adrielle spun around, spotting Cavan looking at her sadly, a small frown on his pain-etched face. "What happened, Adrielle? Why did you mess up so badly?"

"I—"

"Oh, um, I have to go," he said, checking his Pokedex. "Some more work—training. I—I'll call when I have time."

"Wait!" she shouted, but he was already walking away, fading into the darkness. Glancing around, Adrielle spotted Lennox approaching, his small, compact briefcase at his side.

"Oh, Adrielle," he said, waving as he walked over. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. How're you holding up?"

"Lennox, what—"

"Good, good. So, about your Pokemon—"

"My Pokemon!" Adrielle exclaimed, glancing around frantically. "Lennox, I don't know where they are! I know I let them out, but I don't know where they went!"

"Calm down, Adrielle. It's okay," the mustached man said, patting her shoulder. "Look, their Pokeballs are right there on your belt."

"What?" Adrielle asked, pausing as confusion clouded her mind as her hands snapped to her hip. True to Lennox's words, her hands met the tops of familiar spherical-shaped capsules on her hips. "But I—"

"It's okay, Adrielle. Don't worry," Lennox reassured her. "You must have remembered wrong."

"I—I was sure that I'd let them out," she said uncertainly. A faint dread began to creep up the cavity of her chest, but she couldn't pinpoint the source. Underneath her fingers, the Pokeball's smooth surfaces felt cold to the touch.

"You're safe now, Adrielle," Lennox said. "Now, can you tell me what happened?"

The air turned cold, and the Pokeballs felt funny, almost as if their usually smooth surfaces were now etched with grooves.

"I—I don't know," Adrielle whispered, her chest tight and her breaths shallow, the rain icy as it seeped into her clothes.

"Adrielle, you're safe now. Don't worry," Lennox's voice said again. "Now, one step at a time, can you walk me through what happened that night?"

The dread was a crushing now, but Adrielle found herself rooted to the spot, unable to form words. Slowly, she unlatched a capsule from her belt and lifted it, registering the pulsating x-shape on the black exterior of the Pokeball that bled bright red flashes. The red grew deeper, and the world dimmer, until all Adrielle could see was a bright, bright red.

* * *

 _|| Early Morning | Tuesday, September 19th, 2078 | Goldenrod Pokemon Center, Johto_

Adrielle jolted awake, gasping for breath. An icy cold registered about her, and her heart was racing as she snatched her bag from the nightstand and half-tore the bag open to dig out the Probation balls inside. Upon seeing their familiar red glow, Adrielle exhaled, gathering the bag up and hugging it to her chest, eyes squeezed shut as focused on her breathing.

 _They're okay,_ she said to herself. _They're okay they're okay they're—_

A touch at her shoulder sent her flinching to the side before she registered her Mawile standing beside the bed, scarlet eyes staring curiously at her.

"I—sorry—I'm," Adrielle closed her eyes and exhaled, then inhaled, before offering the Mawile a shaky smile. "I'm okay. Thanks."

The Mawile was silent as Adrielle got up and headed to the bathroom, and Adrielle decided not to push the subject. Her mind was still trying to bury the despair dredged up by her dream, the hopelessness and sorrow that she'd done her best to master over the past year.

 _They're okay,_ she thought firmly, meeting her own eyes in the mirror. _I'm okay._

"Let's get some breakfast before we head to Route 34," Adrielle said, slinging on her backpack and heading for the door. Her Mawile followed silently. "I think we'll work on Sweet Scent and Iron Defense today. Two ought to be good."

* * *

 _|| Morning | Tuesday, September 19th, 2078 | Route 34, Johto_

"Again!" Adrielle called, the Mawile in front of her inhaling deeply, filling up her lungs to let loose—a small stream air that was both odorless and colorless.

"Let's stop for now," Adrielle said, walking over and offering the Mawile a water bottle. "You've made lots of progress. We can always come back to the Sweet Scent."

The Mawile was silent, gazing silently at the water bottle in her hands.

 _She has no idea how to go about doing Sweet Scent,_ Adrielle thought, _but she's tough on herself anyway because she thinks she should be able to immediately grasp it._

"Hey, it's alright, Mawile," Adrielle said, bending down, a hand on the Mawile's shoulder. "Sweet scent isn't a be-all, end-all thing. I just figured it'd make a good smokescreen if needed. We still have lots of time to work on it, so don't worry about it."

Though the Mawile didn't look very convinced, she let up, nodding and drinking from the water bottle. Adrielle smiled and straightened up, sighing as she looked around the relatively empty route. Nearby, she spotted a trainer—a young boy who looked to be around eighteen or so, tall, lanky, and fair—who seemed to be conversing quickly with his Oddish, who seemed more intent in planting itself into the ground than listening to its trainer.

 _Well, what are the chances?_ Adrielle thought. Of course, the chances were very high, especially considering that Ilex forest was home to many an Oddish. The boy likely caught it there recently too, if his annoyance said anything about their relationship.

 _But, if he recognizes me,_ Adrielle thought, averting her eyes. She'd moved regions, yes, but it'd only been a year since her scandal. Her name might not be the one on everyone's mind, but anyone who'd tuned into the Hoenn Regionals a year ago should be very familiar with Adrielle Charbonnet, the dark horse semifinalist. Even without her scandal, she was well-covered by the press, and though she knew that her Probational status would inevitably be uncovered, she wanted to live in blissful anonymity for a bit longer.

"Let's go look around for some wilds," Adrielle said at last, cowed. Her fears were unreasonable and she knew it, since the boy had the same chance of recognizing her as all everyone she'd spoken to so far; however, there was a chance—albeit slim—that an actual trainer might be better informed than the average person, more interested in how the championships went in other regions.

 _I'll deal with it when it comes to it,_ Adrielle thought as she led the way down the route. _When I don't have a better option._


	5. Chapter V — Four, Three, Two

_Author's Note: All right, an update! Hope ya'll enjoy the next chapter of Adrielle making her slow, hesitant way through her second day as a trainer._

* * *

 _|| Mid-Morning | Tuesday, September 19th, 2078 | Goldenrod City, Johto_

After tracking down some unsuspecting Rattata and Pidgey for her Mawile to practice Iron Defense and Fake Tears on—the latter of which the Mawile had struggled with at first but quickly grew to stoically produce on command—Adrielle had brought them back to Goldenrod City proper to grab lunch. Cherubi's, the quaint little cafe they were now seated at, was a self-serve lunch shop with a sandwich, salad, and berry bar complete with poffins and pokeblocks on the side. Adrielle had gotten herself a grilled cheese sandwich and some salad, whereas her Mawile had chosen a small tray of Tamato berries and was currently picking up over each one curiously. Despite Adrielle's best efforts to market every berry but the bright, spiky red one, the trainer had found her efforts a waste. The Mawile was intrigued by the Tamato berries, and she didn't want anything to do with the bland-looking Orans and oblong Persims.

Taking a bite of her sandwich, Adrielle watched out of the corner of her eye as the Mawile gave the Tamato one last sniff before popping the berry into her mouth and chewing slowly.

Adrielle swallowed quickly. "How is it?"

The Mawile looked at her, eyes wide with surprise.

"Want water?"

The Mawile shook her head, picking up another Tamato and swallowing it, opening her mouth to air when the spiciness kicked in. It was at this point that Adrielle allowed herself to laugh, flashing the Mawile an amused smile when she looked over.

 _A spicy food lover, huh? Just like Monty, this one,_ Adrielle thought, a grin on her face as she watched the Mawile down the rest of the Tamatos. _Who'd've thought that a Steelix and a Mawile could share the same taste in berries?_

The day her Steelix, Delmont, had been goaded by his teammates into eating a Figy berry turned out to be less tragic than she'd thought. Adrielle's heart had leapt into her throat when she spotted Monty popping the mottled oblong shape into his mouth, and she was hyperventilating in moments. While usually calm and—although arrogant—relatively sensible, Monty was not known for holding his composition when subjected to taunts by his teammates, and Adrielle had been truly frightened of the fit the heavyweight Pokemon would likely throw when the spiciness kicked in.

To her surprise, however, Delmont had remained composed, a metallic laugh grating out as the burning sensation kicked in. Her other Pokemon had been just as surprised, with Lache even preparing to swat a friendly Aqua Tail in his teammate's direction. After that, all spicy foods were automatically redirected to Delmont, since even Adrielle preferred her food pepperless.

Now, watching her Mawile inhale bright orange-red berry after orange-red berry, Adrielle felt an unbearable anguish that consolidated in her chest and filled up her lungs. Scooping her bag up from the chair beside her, Adrielle took deep breaths as she plunged her hands into it, doubling over onto her lap as the first tears slipped from her face. Suddenly, everything felt so unfair again. What did she ever do to deserve the half-life she was currently living? All she'd ever wanted to do was to grow and train with her Pokemon, push them to new heights and crown their joint achievements with the title of regional champion. Was that really too much to ask for?

A gentle touch on her shoulder reminded Adrielle that she wasn't holed up in her flat anymore, and she hurriedly grabbed a napkin and attempted to fix herself up, trying to look the part of a composed trainer.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she said, putting on her best smile for the Mawile. "Ready to go?"

The Mawile nodded, rising, though Adrielle was aware that the Mawile's scarlet eyes didn't leave her until well after they'd left the shop.

* * *

 _|| Noon | Tuesday, September 19th, 2078 | Goldenrod City, Johto_

Goldenrod at lunchtime was a bustle of life. What hadn't been made clear during dusk and darkness was made blatantly so under the morning sun, which illuminated the crowds of people weaving through the streets. Though Adrielle had known Goldenrod was Johto's largest city, she'd forgotten just how sprawling, how _massive_ cities really were. Hubbubs of life were scattered throughout the streets, gathered at landmark locations like the port or train station, and Adrielle felt a strong pang of homesickness as the crowds flowed by. Reminders of her home region—Mauville's game corner, Lilycove's department store—were scattered throughout the large city, along with the overwhelming feeling of awe at her newfound insignificance. Having grown up in a small town, Adrielle had been thrilled when she'd first set foot in a city as a trainer, giddy with excitement at tumult of commotion she found waiting for her. Being in Goldenrod rushed Adrielle back to those times, excitement then her major focus, apprehension not even in her mind with her Pokemon at her side.

Adrielle squeezed the strap of her backpack, blinking hard to dispel her thoughts. Her eyes wandered back to the League Tower in front of her, which rose to touch the sky, a towering sentinel that divided city from sea. The League tended to have two headquarters in every region: a main headquarters tucked away inside the region to serve as every trainers' final destination, and a secondary headquarters on the other side of the region, usually in a large city. The second headquarters was designed to save citizens the trouble of crossing the region if they wanted to bring something up with the League, but even though both citizens and trainers alike visited, the second headquarters was often denoted the "peoples' headquarters" as opposed to the main "trainers' headquarters" where the Elite Four resided. Though there seemed to be a sort of pride associated with having visited the League's main headquarters, the secondary headquarters was still a stop in its own right and was always busy with visitors, official business and not.

Adrielle averted her gaze from the Johto League Tower to look at the Mawile on the bench beside her, trying to smother the realization that once upon a time she would've jumped at the chance to see the sights and sounds of one of the Johto League's most prestigious buildings. Smother, because after all that had happened, she found it impossible to prevent the roll of remorse that ebbed at the edge of her consciousness whenever she saw the League's symbol. Where the metal maintained a constant gleam, Adrielle found her own resolve wavering, each register of the emblem carving a new crack in the glass wall she'd erected against the flood—glass because she had no stronger material to work with, no choice but to open her eyes and see the looming crest beyond.

"Hey, you alright?"

Adrielle looked up to see a brown-haired girl looking concernedly at her.

"Oh, um, yes. Yes, I'm fine," Adrielle said, stumbling over her words in her surprise. Her eyes stayed on the girl, though, wide and panicked. Did the girl recognize her?

"Well, whatever it is, it's going to be alright, okay?" the girl continued with a reassuring smile. "Don't keep thinking about it. You're just going to stress yourself out."

Adrielle nodded cautiously, eyes searching the girl's expression for any sign of wariness. "Thanks," she said when she found none, though none less carefully.

"No problem. Just saw you sitting here with a frown and wanted to check if everything was okay," the girl said, grinning. "We trainers gotta stick together, eh? I'm Eryn."

"Adrielle." Adrielle cracked a weak smile.

"Nice to meet you Adrielle," Eryn said, nodding at Adrielle's Mawile, who was observing the trainers' exchange silently from her spot on the bench. "Have you challenged the Goldenrod gym yet?"

"Not yet," Adrielle admitted. "I'm thinking of doing it soon though. You?"

"Did it a while ago. I'm just helping Joanne out around the gym now," Eryn said, indicating the bag she was holding. "Gonna go drop this off at the League Tower now. Remember to cheer up! Things'll get better!" she called, waving.

"Thanks!" Adrielle called as Eryn left. Staring after the girl, Adrielle felt a strong pang of nostalgic longing. The year she'd spent without her trainer license stretched long and wide in her memory, pushing everything from before to the corners of her consciousness and making the past seem like a millenia ago. Though she could still call upon her experiences, and though she could recall everything with blinding clarity, she felt a distinct disconnect—a line between where present ended and the past began—and with every recall, the line grew thicker and her emotions, thinner.

Nevertheless, the facts and memories Eryn's words called up had surfaced: flashes of the past, of Hoenn, of three Pokeballs at her hip and a cap on her head. Flashes of times when being a lone wolf was still unthinkable, when strength in numbers was as much a mantra for her Pokemon as for herself.

Now, though, that was all in the past; her belt hung empty, and she was thousands of miles from Hoenn. There was no going back to before the scandal; there was no way to clean the slate of life. Instead, she'd have to learn to live with the past hanging over her—learn to swerve around it, sprint past it, outrun it until it was just a vague speck in the vast expanse of history.

* * *

 _|| Afternoon | Tuesday, September 19th, 2078 | Route 34, Johto_

Talking to Eryn refocused Adrielle. The Goldenrod gym was her priority, and if she were being honest, her Mawile was more than ready. Since gym leaders adjust their lineup according to the number of badges a trainer has, her Mawile would be fighting a team built for brand new trainers—trainers with starters that had only just begun their training. In comparison, her Mawile was a seasoned fighter around the level of a fourth badge Pokemon. While her Mawile still had a long way to go, her strength could easily sweep the first few badges, barring type disadvantages. For those, Adrielle would have to…

"I'm fine," Adrielle said, noticing the Mawile's watchful red eyes. "We should be close."

Getting another Pokemon could wait. First, Adrielle wanted to see how the Mawile fared in trainer matches. She'd settled on finding a trainer to challenge on Route 34, since her other options—the gym or the tunnel, both of which hosted a battle area for trainers to spar—held the possibility of crowds. Having walked through Goldenrod without event multiple times now, Adrielle was fairly sure that there would be no one to recognize her. Thinking about it, the fact that no one recognized her wasn't surprising: she'd lost her cap, grown out and tied up her hair, and traded three Pokeballs for one. The Mawile at her side was the final touch, and the only people that would recognize her now were those already looking. So, despite how much she wanted to bow to the paranoia welling up inside, Adrielle knew she had to fight it. She was allowing herself some leeway by choosing the easy route first, she knew, but baby steps still made progress.

Looking around the route, Adrielle could see a few scattered trainers training their Pokemon or battling wilds. The nearest trainer was a girl and her Krabby, the latter newly-caught if their position by the shore or the girl's frantic hand motions were any indication. The next-nearest trainer, who was sitting against a tree further along the path, was a boy with a Jigglypuff. The boy looked to be around Adrielle's age, which was surprising. When she started her journey four years ago at eighteen, Adrielle had already fallen on the older end of the spectrum. Now twenty-two, most trainers her age were vying for—if they hadn't already achieved—championship. Of course, there were people that started later; university graduates and mid-life adventurers weren't unheard of, but they also weren't common. Rather than starting later, trainers wanted to start earlier. Since fourteen was the legal age at which one could obtain a trainer license, most trainers started around fourteen or fifteen, dropping out of or never even starting high school. From there, the number of starting trainers tapered off until eighteen—when high school graduates, like Adrielle, started off—then until twenty-two, when college graduates started.

Between the two trainers, Adrielle couldn't tell who she'd be better off challenging. The boy appeared to be resting, so waking him up to battle didn't seem like a good way to get agreement. The girl, on the other hand, was busy working with her Krabby, and Adrielle had no way of telling whether she was at the point where she could battle with it yet. Struck with indecision, she was alternating between the two, mind almost fuzzy with whirling thoughts when the boy sat up, stretched, and started walking down the path towards her.

"Alright, Mawile, let's go." Her decision made for her, Adrielle continued down the path towards the boy. Dressed in an Alolan shirt and cargo shorts, he seemed every bit a beach frequenter, especially with his sand-gold hair and tanned skin. He walked with an easy manner, a broad smile on his lips as he chatted with his Jigglypuff.

Though Adrielle doubted that he was an Alolan native, the boy's carefree nature seemed to suggest that he wasn't a beginning trainer. Since Jigglypuff was a middle evolution, it offered few answers as Pokemon like Jigglypuff were as often starters as their baby form, Igglybuff. However, the combination of the boy's age, stature, and Pokemon made it more likely that he wasn't a starting trainer, which suited Adrielle's purposes just fine. Rather than trying to seek out easy wins in new trainers, Adrielle figured that her Mawile would be better suited battling against Pokemon around her level anyway, so challenging the boy and his Jigglypuff would be just fine.

When the tens of meters between them became just a few feet, the boy met her eyes with a grin, waving. "Hey!" His Jigglypuff stopped running circles around him, dodging behind him and peeking out.

"Hey," Adrielle echoed, mouth dry. Her heart was pounding, but she forced herself to continue. "Do you have time for a quick battle? One-on-one with my Mawile. I want to get a feel for things before I challenge the gym."

The boy paused, checking the time on his Pokedex before shrugging. "Sure! Iggs here needs some exercise anyway."

Adrielle relaxed, relieved that he'd agreed. While it was polite to accept challenges, there was always the possibility of rejection. In the past, Adrielle had been fine with rejection, shrugging it off easily whenever it came. Now, though, she could see why she used to be: back then, her focus was on herself, honing her own skills and those of her team. Rejection was just a minor inconvenience, since she could always try again. But Adrielle's focus was no longer only on herself; she was now keenly aware of her surroundings, sensitive to the world around her. Trying to tune it out like before was impossible, not that she'd want to anyway. Picking up on the cues and fluctuations of others allowed her to be more careful, more cautious and prepared. Hesitation and indecisiveness were byproducts of the equation, but they had been inevitable.

The Jigglypuff shot its trainer a glare, prompting a laugh from him.

"Well, I'm assuming you're good to go now?" The boy glanced around. "That field over there?"

Adrielle glanced to the field he indicated, nodding. "That's fine, and thanks for agreeing."

"No problem. We're all trainers here. I'm Soren, by the way."

"Adrielle."

"Adrielle, huh?" Soren turned, glancing at her Mawile. "Nice Mawile."

"Thanks,." Adrielle said, floundering for a response. "Um, your Jigglypuff looks very sweet."

"Sweet? That's pretty far from the truth, isn't it, Iggs?" Soren glanced down at his Jigglypuff, who stuck its tongue out at its trainer in response.

"Well, that's Iggs for you. And this is it. Good luck," Soren said, walking towards his side of the field.

"Good luck," Adrielle replied, walking to her side, her Mawile quiet at her side. "Mawile, you ready?"

The Mawile nodded, crouching into position. Again, Adrielle was reminded of just how practiced, how honed the Mawile was as a battler. Despite being newly introduced to her trainer, the Mawile was used to the battlefield to the point where she comfortable taking orders on the fly. Her battle style was largely independent, making decisions and moving for herself, and any orders would be closely considered before they were followed. From this, Adrielle would guess that the Mawile's previous trainer had likely trained their Pokemon to be independent on the battlefield, allowing them the freedom needed to make decisions on their own so that the trainer's involvement would be minimal. It was the strategy of the wild, where trainers weren't in the picture to guide their Pokemon. For this school of trainers, trainers trained and Pokemon battled. There was a line that, though blurry, would never be completely gone because trainers could not do what Pokemon did.

Before the scandal, Adrielle would have argued that trainers should always be involved in the picture because they were as much a part of the battle as their Pokemon. The trainer was a part of their team, bearing responsibility for every correct and incorrect move. They bore the pressure and the failures as much as the successes, and they should strive to share all burdens with their Pokemon. To many trainers that believe their role is only to hone their Pokemon, losses that aren't due to strength would be the Pokemon's fault alone—an unfair assessment, if you'd asked Adrielle then.

Now, though, she wasn't sure whether she'd been right. She had tried to bear the burden for her Pokemon, but what good had that done? At the end of the day, she'd failed her team, failed her Pokemon. She'd trained them on the basis that they could always rely on her, but she wasn't there for them when they needed her most. She'd failed them, and while trying to right her failure was what drove her to reapply for trainership, she would be lying if she said she thought her Mawile could rely on her, because how could she support a Pokemon she'd just gotten if she couldn't even do the same for a team she'd spent years with? How could she ask her Mawile to trust her when she didn't even trust herself?

So, while Adrielle wasn't completely comfortable with letting the Mawile call all her own shots, it had worked so far, and Adrielle wasn't opposed to trying. Perhaps the Mawile's previous trainer had the right idea. Perhaps Pokemon were better off when allowed the freedom they needed. Perhaps at the end of the day, trainers could never truly be there for their Pokemon.

"Ready when you are!"

Adrielle looked to see Soren grinning on the opposite side of the field, his Jigglypuff hopping from one foot to the other on the field. Her Mawile, too, had turned to stare at her, her red gaze firm on Adrielle's.

"Right," Adrielle said, nodding. "Let's start. Mawile, Growl!"

"Iggs, Disable it!"

As soon as the Growl left the Mawile's mouth, the Jigglypuff's Disable went through, silencing the Mawile as the Jigglypuff dodged away from the charging Mawile. The Mawile, though, quickly turned to rush the Jigglypuff again, forcing the Jigglypuff to continue jumping back to avoid her.

"Mawile, Taunt!"

The Mawile stopped mid-spring, turning partially away from the Jigglypuff and rolling her eyes. In response, the Jigglypuff stamped its feet in frustration, crying angrily at the Mawile.

"Iggs, Wake-up Slap it good!"

"Dodge and Iron Head!"

Adrielle's follow-up had been quick, but really, the dodging was all her Mawile. Taunt set up for the Mawile's successful dodge, since the Jigglypuff was too angry to consider coming up with an indirect attack. When the Jigglypuff rushed forwards, the Mawile sprang up, turning midair to bring her black jaws down on the Jigglypuff as it too slowly tried to move out of the way.

"Disarming Voice!"

"Iron Head again!"

The hit sent the Jigglypuff skidding away, stirring up loose grass and leaves until it righted itself, opening its mouth to let loose a Disarming Voice. While the Jigglypuff was skidding, though, the Mawile hadn't let up on her gained momentum, quickly rushing at the pink Pokemon with outstretched jaws. Since the Jigglypuff's move had the advantage of being a ranged attack, it hit, but was shrugged off without trouble, since the Mawile was steel-type and therefore resistant. And, having shrugged it off, the Mawile quickly landed her Iron Head, sending the Jigglypuff skidding back again.

"Iggs!" Soren called when the Jigglypuff didn't immediately hop to its feet like before.

As if hearing its trainer's voice, the Jigglypuff shakily righted itself, but its gaze showed its determination to continue—which send the Mawile charging at it again.

"Mawile!" Adrielle shouted, alarm coursing through her veins at the sight of her Pokemon charging into battle without her. The Mawile, though, ignored her, swinging her jaws at the Jigglypuff to send it flying back with yet another Iron Head, after which the Jigglypuff stirred but did not stand.

"Let's call it! You win! Good job!" Soren called from his side of the field. Adrielle nodded, and the Mawile relaxed her stance.

"Good job too," Adrielle said when Soren rushed to his Jigglypuff's side. The Jigglypuff had managed to pull itself to its feet, allowing Soren to examine it.

"You've got yourself a fighter there," Soren said as he stepped back from his Jigglypuff. "That Mawile's got a the makings of a competitive battler."

"Yeah," Adrielle said, glancing down at her Mawile, who met her eyes with an impassive stare. "Both she and I still have ways to go though."

"You seem like someone who can make it."

While it was just polite comment, it still made Adrielle pause. The battle had been one-sided from the start, since her Mawile had the upper hand even if the Pokemon were evenly matched in power. Sure it could be argued that Adrielle's relationship with her Mawile had some part in the victory, her contribution was negligible in comparison to the Mawile's.

"Thank you." Late, forced, and struggling to sound sincere, the reply was everything Adrielle had hoped it wasn't—everything it hadn't used to be—because a few years ago, Soren's compliment would have made her swell in pride. Now, it felt like words echoing off the walls of a vast chasm, reminding Adrielle of the hollow darkness inside.

"Here. A little for your Mawile," Soren said, handing Adrielle a few strips of dried fruit. "They're dried Sitrus strips. They'll heal her right up."

"Thanks," Adrielle said, looking them over before giving them to her Mawile, who did the same before popping them into her mouth.

"No problem. They're pretty easy to make."

"Make? You made them yourself?"

"Yep! Pretty easy with a flying-type. I just have Two stir up a good Tailwind for a few minutes and we're good."

"Two?"

"My Zatu, Two."

Putting his fingers to his mouth, Soren whistled. A breeze started, and by the time the Xatu landed, giving its wings one final flap to settle its feathers, Adrielle was glad she'd chosen to tie her hair up.

The Xatu, who stood up to Adrielle's shoulder, looked every bit the solemn watcher the psychic-flying dual was commonly portrayed as in cartoons and books. Under its unblinking gaze, Adrielle felt scrutinized—exposed—even though the Xatu's face displayed no emotion whatsoever.

Her unsettled feeling could probably be explained by the fact that the Xatu was a psychic-type—a type that Adrielle had never felt comfortable around. In general, psychic-types were the most human-like, perhaps owed to their superior intellect, and perhaps to their ability to pick up on emotions. As a result, though, they were also markedly harder to train than elemental types like electric or water-types, making them rare-found even among trainers. Their mental capacities usually led to fiercely distinct and strong personalities that, under the wrong guiding hand, tended to turn on their trainers. Like ghost-types, psychic-types were known to hold grudges, especially feral psychic-types. Every year there were trainer casualties involving psychic-types, be it because they wronged a wild psychic-type or because one of their own Pokemon went rogue. Usually the ones who paid the price were clueless trainers who evolved their ditsy basic too early and decided to abandon it due to a drop in performance or wandering unfortunates who chanced upon a wild Pokemon's nest. Once in a while, though, established trainers—even champions—were the ones who winded up on the chopping block, their psychic-types going rogue due to some unknown trigger. Needless to say, ghost- and psychic-types were the majority of Pokemon Probationed each year, being amongst the most sensitive types even after their trust was earned.

Adrielle had no dislike for psychic-types the way she had for ghost-types; psychic-types were hard to train, and a trainer who could successfully train one deserved only respect for learning to work with a mind perhaps more intelligent than their own. Strong personalities she could understand, even relate to, but she couldn't fathom trying to train a type with powers she couldn't understand. Her first three Pokemon, while possessing strong and varied personalities, were easy enough to train, aided by scientific explanations of moves. Ask her to explain how to perform a Psybeam or—Arceus forbid—a Dream Eater, and Adrielle could only throw her hands up. She couldn't even wrap her own mind around the moves, much less try and explain it to an impressionable Pokemon in her care.

As such, Soren was, by virtue of owning a fully-grown Xatu, clearly a seasoned trainer—more so than Adrielle had initially assumed, too. His Jigglypuff was probably a new addition to his team or a side project he was dabbling in as he waited for League season to swing by again in Johto. But, that was Adrielle imposing herself onto others; Soren was no more likely to be a competitive trainer than not. In fact, it was more likely he wasn't, with his carefree dress and relaxed manner. Judging by his age, he was probably a trainer who'd gone as far through the gyms as he'd wanted before "completing" his trainer journey and focusing on another venture of life.

"Two's a beauty, ain't he?"

Adrielle blinked, then nodded, smiling uncertainly. "Yeah, he's quite a sight."

In response, Two ruffled his feathers and straightened—which, thanks to his blank face, was almost comedic in its expressionlessness. Adrielle cracked a real smile at that, and Soren grinned.

"C'mon—let's go for a spin."

"W-what?" But before Adrielle could formally decline, she'd been tugged to the Xatu's side and tipped onto the Xatu by a wing. "B-but he's not—"

"Psychic-types pull their weight with their minds," Soren said. "You've got three seconds to return your Mawile. Four, three—"

"Wai—"

"Two! Here we go!"

One hand on the zipper to her bag and the other far from loose around the Xatu's neck, Adrielle clung on for dear life as the Xatu swiftly took to the air, defying all physics as he did so.


End file.
